Older External Drive seems dead. Need proper disposal method.

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Level 1

6 points

Older External Drive seems dead. Need proper disposal method.

I have an eight year old 500GB external drive that no longer mounts on the host computer desktop. Putting my ear to the enclosure, I hear the rhythmic click, click sound that tells me it is not functioning. I was using this drive as a Time Machine backup on my second (seldom used) Mac. My question is, since I was using it as a Time Machine backup, it therefore contains financial and other personal data that I need to "wipe" before I trash it, but how can I do that when the drive won't mount? Should I just drill some holes through it, or give it a good smash with a sledge hammer? I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks

Posted on Aug 29, 2012 8:26 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Aug 29, 2012 9:50 AM in response to ovelky

If you can't get it to mount, you can't do a software scrub, so you'll have to physically destroy the drive. Either drilling holes in the drive or smashing it with a hammer, assuming you break the drive platters, will be fine. Do whichever gives you the most personal satisfaction. 🙂

Regards.

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Answer 2

ovelky Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 29, 2012 9:56 AM in response to varjak paw

Thanks, varjack paw . . . I figured that would be the best option. 😎

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Answer 3

dalstott

Level 4

2,639 points

Aug 31, 2012 12:38 PM in response to ovelky

You could also put it in a strong magnetic field to scramble all the x and os.

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Answer 4

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Aug 31, 2012 12:47 PM in response to dalstott

That one can erase a modern sealed hard drive with a magnet is basically an urban legend. Very, very few people have access to a magentic field strong enough to erase data on a sealed hard drive. A company that sells magnets tested this legend with a pair of 13,200 Gauss neodymium magnets directly on the drive and they had no effect on the data whatsoever.

Regards.

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